Do not get Drunk on
Wine ...
Do not gaze at wine
when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the
end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange
sights and your mind imagine confusing things. (Proverbs 23:31-33)
Solomon doesn’t mince his words in these verses. The bottom
line is this: if you get caught in the trap of alcohol or drugs (or any other
unhealthy addiction), you will pay for it in the end. It is a matter of
control. The reports in the news confirm this in our current situation, as
alcohol-induced household violence is on the rise.
But isn’t it interesting that the same word picture is used
by Paul in the New Testament? The issue of control extends to a person
controlled by the Holy Spirit. We read in Ephesians 5:15-18:
Be very careful, then,
how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity
because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what
the Lord’s will is: Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.
Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:15-18)
Bob Dylan had a short-lived conversion to Christianity in
the late 1970s, and wrote a song, You
Gotta Serve Somebody. The fact that he slipped back into a life of fame,
drugs and alcohol probably means that it will get lost in some historic time
warp, but the words told a tale that repeats itself; either you control the
appetites of your sinful nature, or you will be controlled.
The Proverbs speak of a control that is obtained through
seeking wisdom, understanding, and God’s path. This same kind of control is
spoken in the New Testament using the imagery of being under the control of
God’s indwelling Spirit; not to make us perfect or without sin, but to give us
forgiveness and replicate the character of Christ in us. In both of these (wisdom
and the Holy Spirit), we are offered power for living and a hope to live a life
controlled by God.
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